A Brass Band Advent Calendar: 4. The President

A traditional Whit Friday contest march beloved of Foden’s and Fairey bands

Believe it or not, there are only 181 days till Whit Friday. Next year, The Greatest Free Show on Earth (from Denton to Denshaw) will fall on the 14 June 2019. It also means legendary marches like Knight Templar, Ravenswood, and this one we have behind today’s door.

The President is one of many great contest marches. It was composed by William German and has been Foden’s Band’s preferred piece for years. It has paid dividends for the Sandbach based Championship Section band, who have won the Tameside Open Championship for over twenty years.

For your very ears, we have one of Foden’s Band’s finest Whit Friday performances. This being at the Stalybridge Labour Club Contest in 2014. If you look carefully, you might see a familiar face in the crowd.

Tomorrow’s piece will be a humdinger of an overture, one composed by Peter Graham. This could refer to lunar light or the Star of Bethlehem, though not intended to convey that message. All will be revealed once the door has been peeled.